5 Tips to Gain and Maintain People’s Respect

The world is full of shady people nowadays, so it’s human nature to be skeptical when talking to a stranger. But it’s those shady people that ruin everything for us honest folks out there. Whether you are looking to increase your network, build a business or just want to make some new friends, you have to be likable. Trying too hard can make you sound pushy and not trying enough makes you seem apathetic. Finding the happy medium will go a long way in getting where you want to go.

Here are five things to practice when you want to be liked, believed and respected.

1. Be Honest

It goes without saying that you have to tell the truth if you want someone to believe you. It can take years to build up enough trust with someone, but it only takes a few minutes or one situation to completely destroy that trust. If you’re working on your business credibility, then even the smallest lie can be detrimental to your success. No one likes a liar, so just tell the truth. You should rather be disliked for who you are rather than be liked for someone you’re not.

2. Admit Mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone admits them. You can earn yourself a lot of credibility just by admitting that you made a mistake on something. This could include misspeaking as well. No one likes a person that thinks they are right about everything. Admitting mistakes shows that you are human and you are acknowledging that. Not only will you be more likable, but people will approach you more as well.

3. Consider Others’ Opinions

This goes along with admitting mistakes. You have to understand that you won’t always have the best opinion on everything. It would be a pretty boring life if that were the case. You still need to voice your opinion, but also take into consideration the thoughts and feelings of other people. Work together on whatever situation you are in and you will strengthen the bond with that person.

4. Keep your Word

If you aren’t able to keep your word in a professional situation, then you may face irreparable circumstances. You can sometimes get breaks if you realize that you can’t keep your word, and inform the person accordingly ahead of time. But repeated actions like that are just as bad. No one likes a person who says they will do something and not do it. Or be somewhere and not show up on time. Be punctual and do what you say you’re going to do when you say you’re going to do it.

5. Be Levelheaded

Show people that you are emotionally stable. You can do this in a variety of ways.
-Don’t get frustrated at the smallest things
-Don’t curse
-Handle conflicts gracefully
-Don’t talk bad about others
-Think before you react

How you handle different situations will reveal your true character. People can see right through others who are fake. That doesn’t mean you have to wear your emotions on your sleeve at all times, though.

Honesty and integrity will go a long way in becoming a more likable, believable and respectable person.

Practice these five points diligently and you will start noticing people gravitating toward you more often in different situations that you face.